PCWorld:
Microsoft’s latest Windows update breaks VPNs, and there’s no fix
What Microsoft actually said:
Windows devices might face VPN connection failures after installing the April 2024 security update, or KB5036893. We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release
I’m so fed up with everyone trying to make a quick buck on our constant struggle to stay safe.
The reality is that it broke "something* in certain lpt2/ipsec connections using certain authentication protocols, although they haven’t yet specified which particular connection technologies are affected.
However this does not mean that a blanket affect of ALL VPN connection not working is an issue.
So far we are unaffected on clients using ipsec and PAP protocol authentication, nor connections using Anyconnect (aka Cisco Secure Connect).
I have also not seen any affect on private VPN clients such as PIA or Nord on machines that have this update.
I suspect what broke was clients using MSChap, Microsoft’s own protocol for authentication for VPN clients.
Source: an admin with 200+ client machines with VPN connections that are not impacted after installing this update.
I dunno man. I’m convinced that pretty much any mention of VPN these days is just an ad for vpns. That’s with this article looks like.
Yeah, you’re not wrong that the article kinda sets itself up for the “lookit our recommended VPNs” pitch.
There’s no way Microsoft would purposefully disable VPNs from working. I can guarantee that they require VPNs for thousands of roles in the company, let alone breaking it for government agencies that require VPNs, etc.
It is good to know that a specific update can break something ahead of time, though. Then at least you can avoid it.
There’s no way Microsoft would purposefully disable VPNs from working
No, but they’ve done it accidentally before.
One time a few years ago it broke all LT2P VPN’s unless you removed a specific KB########.
IIRC, six months later there was still no fix.
I think it’s been fixed now, though.
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My workplace requires VPN for Web sites that are authenticated, require 2FA and are encrypted. It’s infuriatingly stupid. I feel like someone higher up got sold a useless contract by a good VPN salesperson.
Most likely all connections are run through the gateway of the company allowing them to apply security to all web traffic on their clients.
It might hinder you but there is plenty of method to this madness.
Ya that just sounds like good practice for internal services.
@Kethal@lemmy.world Maybe see if you can use a FIDO2 device like yubikey for 2fa
I applaud your IT leadership/CIO for being willing to do this.
Most companies are far too passive and think “aIt won’t happen to us”.
I’ve seen companies scammed of $1mil in a single transaction because they sent credentials in email, to a scammer.
Had they used a credential management system this wouldn’t have happened.
Every layer of security helps.
Yeah, maybe they should encrypt it a third time. You never know.
It may be unintentional bug. People in the enterprise world need VPN for corporate purposes, they will fix it dont worry
thats going to be an issue - at my work roughly 60% of the userbase is connected via VPN at any given point - so, ~40,000 people or so
That’s a paddlin.
Obligatory Linux plug.
Is it too late to turn off security updates and avoid this issue?
And this is exactly why I don’t do auto updates (and people around here berate me for it, saying my systems are unsafe).
Hell, Windows LTSC only gets updates twice a year (which is what I run).
LTSC is great.
Much less bloat and bs too.
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Why? The entire business world uses and needs VPNs. This accomplishes nothing for MS. There will be a PR shit storm in MS from every direction if they don’t fix it.
I’d agree if this only affected normal people but it also affects every corporation that does business with MS.
So skip Windows. Why does anyone need it anymore?
Games. I have a Steam Deck so yea I get that Proton works really well now but it’s still not perfect. And also I write software for customers that use Windows so ¯\(ツ)/¯
Games aren’t an issue. If you are still in a world where your local machine is a dev environment, that’s a different story. Sorry.
Yes games very much are an issue. You are naive and ignorant if you think Linux can play every single game without hang ups.
For example if you play iRacing you don’t have much of a choice but to be on windows.
You people telling others to get on Linux are tone deaf as fuck.
I agree. While I still think Linux is superior overall, software compatibility is mostly about the market share, so Windows is the best for gamers.
